Tenant ordered to pay $900.69 for rent arrears, water rates, and filing fee
📌 In brief
The Tenancy Tribunal ordered the tenant to pay $900.69 to the landlord, including rent arrears, water rates, and filing fee reimbursement. The tenant agreed with the amounts owed.
⚖️ Legal holding
A tenant is required to pay rent arrears, water rates, and the filing fee if the landlord proves these amounts.
📖 Technical summary
The Tenancy Tribunal ordered the tenant to pay rent arrears, water rates, and filing fee reimbursement.
📜 Headnote Official document
The Tenancy Tribunal ordered the tenant to pay $900.69 to the landlord, including rent arrears, water rates, and filing fee reimbursement. The tenant agreed with the amounts owed.
📚 Full judgment Official document
__________________________________________________________________________________ 5196051 1
[2025] NZTT 5196051
TENANCY TRIBUNAL AT WAITAKERE | TE TARAIPIUNARA RETIHANGA KI WAITĀKERE
APPLICANT: [redacted]
Landlord
RESPONDENT: [redacted]
Tenant
TENANCY ADDRESS: Unit/Flat [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE]
ORDER
1. Erana Wiki must pay [COMPANY] - As Agent For [NAME] $900.69 immediately, calculated as shown in table below.
Description Landlord Tenant Rent arrears to 12 June 2025 $670.00 Water rates to 22 May 2025 $203.69 Filing fee reimbursement $27.00 Total award $900.69 Total payable by Tenant to Landlord $900.69
Reasons:
1. Both parties attended the hearing.
2. The landlord has applied for rent arrears, compensation, and reimbursement of the filing fee.
3. The landlord provided a rent summary which shows that the tenant is out of step with her rent payments; rent becomes due on a Thursday, but isn’t paid until the following Sunday. This means that every week, the tenant goes into
__________________________________________________________________________________ 5196051 2
rent arrear. This jeopardises the security of her tenancy. The rent summary shows that as of today’s date the tenant is $670.00 in arrear.
4. The tenant agrees that this is the situation, and does not dispute the amount of arrears.
5. The landlord produced water rates invoices which amount to $203.69 which the tenant has yet to pay. The tenant does not dispute these outstanding amounts.
6. The amounts ordered are proved.
7. [COMPANY] - As Agent For [NAME] has wholly succeeded with the claim I must reimburse the filing fee.
C Lamdin
10 June 2025
__________________________________________________________________________________ 5196051 3
Please read carefully: Visit justice.govt.nz/tribunals/tenancy/rehearings-appeals for more information on rehearings and appeals.
Rehearings You can apply for a rehearing if you believe that a substantial wrong or miscarriage of justice has happened. For example: • you did not get the letter telling you the date of the hearing, or • the adjudicator improperly admitted or rejected evidence, or • new evidence, relating to the original application, has become available.
You must give reasons and evidence to support your application for a rehearing. A rehearing will not be granted just because you disagree with the decision. You must apply within five working days of the decision using the Application for Rehearing form: justice.govt.nz/assets/Documents/Forms/TT-Application-for-rehearing.pdf
Right of Appeal Both the landlord and the tenant can file an appeal. You should file your appeal at the District Court where the original hearing took place. The cost for an appeal is $260. You must apply within 10 working days after the decision is issued using this Appeal to the District Court form: justice.govt.nz/tribunals/tenancy/rehearings-appeals
Grounds for an appeal You can appeal if you think the decision was wrong, but not because you don’t like the decision. For some cases, there’ll be no right to appeal. For example, you can’t appeal: • against an interim order • a final order for the payment of less than $1000 • a final order to undertake work worth less than $1000.
Enforcement Where the Tribunal made an order about money or property this is called a civil debt. The Ministry of Justice Collections Team can assist with enforcing civil debt. You can contact the collections team on [PHONE] or go to justice.govt.nz/fines/civil-debt for forms and information.
Notice to a party ordered to pay money or vacate premises, etc. Failure to comply with any order may result in substantial additional costs for enforcement. It may also involve being ordered to appear in the District Court for an examination of your means or seizure of your property.
If you require further help or information regarding this matter, visit tenancy.govt.nz/disputes/enforcing- decisions or phone Tenancy Services on [PHONE].
Mēna ka hiahia koe ki ētahi atu awhina, kōrero ranei mo tēnei take, haere ki tenei ipurangi tenancy.govt.nz/disputes/enforcing-decisions, waea atu ki Ratonga Takirua ma runga [PHONE] ranei.
https://www.justice.govt.nz/tribunals/tenancy/rehearings-appeals https://www.justice.govt.nz/assets/Documents/Forms/TT-Application-for-rehearing.pdf https://www.justice.govt.nz/tribunals/tenancy/rehearings-appeals/ https://www.justice.govt.nz/fines/about-civil-debt/ https://www.tenancy.govt.nz/disputes/enforcing-decisions https://www.tenancy.govt.nz/disputes/enforcing-decisions http://www.tenancy.govt.nz/disputes/enforcing-decisions/
__________________________________________________________________________________ 5196051 4
A manaomia nisi faamatalaga poo se fesoasoani, e uiga i lau mataupu, asiasi ifo le matou aupega tafailagi: tenancy.govt.nz/disputes/enforcing-decisions, pe fesootai mai le Tenancy Services i le numera [PHONE].
Reasons:
⚖️ What tends to weigh in cases like this
✅ Tends to be accepted
- The tenant agreed to the amount of rent arrears without disputing it.
- The landlord provided proof of unpaid water rates, which the tenant did not dispute.
- The landlord successfully claimed reimbursement for the filing fee since they had wholly succeeded with their claim.
Patterns observed in similar cases in this collection — every case is unique.
❓ Frequently asked questions
What did this decision decide?
The tenant was ordered to pay $900.69 to the landlord, including rent arrears, water rates, and filing fee reimbursement.
What was the dispute about?
The dispute was about unpaid rent arrears, water rates, and the filing fee.
How did the court decide, and why?
The court decided that the tenant must pay the landlord $900.69 because the landlord proved the amounts owed.
Which laws or rules were applied?
No specific laws or rules were mentioned in the judgment.
What was the argument that mattered most?
The landlord's proof of the amounts owed was the key argument.
Was the decision for or against the person who brought the case?
The decision was for the landlord.
What does this mean for someone in a similar situation?
Someone in a similar situation should ensure they pay their rent and utility bills on time to avoid such orders.
What evidence or documents mattered?
The rent summary and water rates invoices were the key pieces of evidence.